Thai and Cambodian press warn of escalating tensions following Miss Grand scandal

[Thighlander]

I just sent a lovely lady some cash for Christmas from the US. I hadn't done this since 2012, and I was pleasantly surprised to see the fee has gone DOWN. Last year it was 10 USD and took a few days using my checking account in the US. This time, that would have been five US, but I used the option of a credit card, and it was available for her to pickup in about three minutes...they say 10 minutes. The cost 4.50 USD. I certainly don't condone sending money to bar girls, some of whom make a career out of soliciting remittances, but then again, if she took good care of you, and has some kids to feed; why not? There are some bad ones, but I believe the good ones far outnumber the bad.

Edited December 18, 2013 by Thighlander

[davejones]

My Thai ATM withdrawals are free, so how come you think $4.50 is cheaper than free?

[Suradit69]

My Thai ATM withdrawals are free, so how come you think $4.50 is cheaper than free?

And it would also depend on what exchange rate was used. If the rate is worse than using an ATM card or doing a TT, then it's going to be even more expensive to send a MoneyGram.

I went to the MoneyGram website and it shows: Exchange Rate ⁴ 1 USD = 31.7912 THB

But checking Kasikorn or Bangkok Bank rates right now they're are giving THB 32.51 for TT or THB 32.62 for cash. MoneyGram is screwing you on the rates.

Edited December 19, 2013 by Suradit69

[falkan]

are you justifying you sending money to a hooker? my two water buffalo is sick to..please send me!

western Union works for me! and its cheap!

[Thighlander]

My Thai ATM withdrawals are free, so how come you think $4.50 is cheaper than free?

And it would also depend on what exchange rate was used. If the rate is worse than using an ATM card or doing a TT, then it's going to be even more expensive to send a MoneyGram.

I went to the MoneyGram website and it shows: Exchange Rate ⁴ 1 USD = 31.7912 THB

But checking Kasikorn or Bangkok Bank rates right now they're are giving THB 32.51 for TT or THB 32.62 for cash. MoneyGram is screwing you on the rates.

try looking at the buy rate vs. the sell rate. Yes, if you are careless enough to have an ATM card attached to your thai bank account, the the withdraw is free, but the card is 200 and 200 per year at BKK Bank, and if money goes missing you want get squat. Minimum fee on a TT is 200 thb at bkkb.

Western Union charges 5 usd, and their exchange rate is 2% less. I just checked on 50 usd...western union=1556.27, moneygram=1589.56.

Edited December 19, 2013 by Thighlander

[Ticketmaster]

Well, it's a gift anyway. Good for you to think of her and her kids for Xmas. People can say what they want, but it is a living, and everybody has to live.

[Suradit69]

My Thai ATM withdrawals are free, so how come you think $4.50 is cheaper than free?

And it would also depend on what exchange rate was used. If the rate is worse than using an ATM card or doing a TT, then it's going to be even more expensive to send a MoneyGram.

I went to the MoneyGram website and it shows: Exchange Rate ⁴ 1 USD = 31.7912 THB

But checking Kasikorn or Bangkok Bank rates right now they're are giving THB 32.51 for TT or THB 32.62 for cash. MoneyGram is screwing you on the rates.

try looking at the buy rate vs. the sell rate. Yes, if you are careless enough to have an ATM card attached to your thai bank account, the the withdraw is free, but the card is 200 and 200 per year at BKK Bank, and if money goes missing you want get squat. Minimum fee on a TT is 200 thb at bkkb.

Western Union charges 5 usd, and their exchange rate is 2% less. I just checked on 50 usd...western union=1556.27, moneygram=1589.56.

I've had a ATM card carelessly attached to my Bangkok Bank account for 15 years without a problem, but that has nothing to do with sending money internationally. And the point (I guess) of your message was how cheap it was to use MoneyGram. Or more likely your point was to inform everyone how generous you are and maybe provoke one more in an endless series of threads about the pros and cons of sending money to someone you once paid to be nice to you.

To send $50 it probably is cheaper or at least the difference is negligible, but how many people here transfer $50 at a time? Those of us who have bank accounts here and get annual extensions of stay are not going to find using MoneyGram to be a wonderful way to send from Baht 500,000 to Baht 1,000,000 a year for living expenses and even someone here on holiday is unlikely to be dealing in amounts of Baht 1550 at a go, which would barely cover one meal at a low-end restaurant.

But thanks for sharing. Maybe it will inspire others to send Baht 1500 to people they barely know during the festive holidays.

[Thighlander]

I never said my gift was to a prossie, I just pointed out that a lot of the bar girls have made a career out of getting remittances, and if one of those girls did you right, then there wouldn't be any shame in a christmas bonus, You haven't had a problem in 15 years? Except you missed one of the biggest financial collapses in history by about a year. On;y read a dozen ir so accounts of people getting their satms scammed..this year. 1550 for a low end restaurant? I know millionares that haven't spent that much on a meal their entire lives. Median income for a thai family is less than 25K per month, some of you should try meeting them sometime; many are real nice people. And did I say it was a good way to send 500K? No, actually I said it was a good way to send thoughtful Christmas gifts.

Edited December 20, 2013 by Thighlander